Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion of the world, Cain Velasquez, will be all set for his return to the Octagon against Francis Ngannou, after what will be nearly a 3-year hiatus from the sport. UFC on ESPN 1 will host the main event fight between the pair on February 17th, 2019, at the Talking Stick Resort in Phoenix, Arizona.

In case you didn't know..

Cain Velasquez is an American professional mixed martial artist, who had his first taste of championship victory against Brock Lesnar at UFC 121, on October 23rd, 2010. He made his UFC debut in the year 2008 against Brad Morris, who he beat via technical knockout in the very first round of the fight. Velasquez is renowned for his performances against top calibre opponents such as Antonio Silva, Junior dos Santos, and Travis Browne.

Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian-Frech martial artist, currently competing in the UFC's heavyweight division. His recent contest came in the form of a rematch with Curtis Blaydes, who he beat for the second time on November 24th, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 141. 'The Predator' has suffered just two defeats in the UFC so far, against Stipe Miocic, and Derrick Lewis at UFC 220 and UFC 226, respectively. Ngannou gained immense popularity for his bludgeoning knockout victory against 'The Demolition Man,' Alistair Overeem, during their co-main event bout at UFC 218.

The heart of the matter

The president of the UFC, Dana White, recently spoke to ESPN on Friday night, where he confirmed the heavyweight clash between Cain Velasquez and Francis Ngannou. Following his last performance against Travis Browne at UFC 200, Velasquez has been down and out of competition as a result of suffering from an acute back injury. The former champion underwent back surgery in January 2017 and gave the following update to his fans, after:

Coming off of a back injury and a layoff from the sport for nearly three years, Cain Velasquez will be going into this fight with every intention to get back on the road to reclaiming his once dear, heavyweight championship belt.

Who do you think will come out as the winner of this much-awaited contest in February next year? Velasquez? Ngannou? Leave your predictions in the comments section below!